Airport staff refused Polish interpretation offer before Taser death
Last Updated: Wednesday, February 11, 2009 | 11:08 AM PT
CBC News
Karol Vrba testified that his offer to translate for Robert Dziekanski was turned down by airport staff. (CBC) A Vancouver airport employee who offered to help interpret for Robert Dziekanski has testified that his help was turned down by airport employees less than an hour before the Polish immigrant died.
Dziekanski's heart stopped after four RCMP officers used a Taser to subdue him after he caused a disturbance at the Vancouver airport in 2007.
Karol Vrba told the Braidwood Inquiry into Dziekanski's death, currently underway in Vancouver, that he was in the airport's operation centre when a call came in about a man who only appeared to speak Russian, causing a disturbance.
Vrba, who speaks Russian, Czech, Slovak and Polish, testified on Monday that he offered to help but was told instead to check on airplanes parked at the board gates overnight, so the airport could collect fees from them.
He said about 40 minutes later, he returned to find the man causing the disturbance was dead.
"When I entered the room, I saw people were overwhelmed and shocked. So I ask, 'What's going on?' and they told me what happened," Vrba said.
Robert Dziekanski became agitated in the Vancouver airport's international arrivals area. Four RCMP officers were summoned and within seconds of their arrival, they stunned Dziekanski with a Taser. He died shortly afterward. (Paul Pritchard) "Mr. Dziekanski was Tasered, and he died, and I told them, 'Why don't you call me on the radio. I told you I could help'," he said.
"I was shocked I wasn't called," he said.
Vrba said that while he lingered in the room for an hour, others expressed surprise at how the incident was handled, including how the airport's own firefighters weren't called to deal with Dziekanski after he'd been Tasered.
It was later revealed that Dziekanski only spoke Polish. Vrba admitted his Polish isn't perfect but said he can understand and be understood by, someone who is Polish.
Vrba was scheduled to testify again on Wednesday. He did not reveal what answer, if any, he was given about why he was never called.
